A Phanar Hierarch Invited the Georgian Patriarch to Constantinople

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III received the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, in Tbilisi. During the meeting, the hierarchs discussed matters of bilateral relations between the Georgian and Constantinople Churches. This was reported by the Union of Orthodox Journalists in Georgia.

During his visit to the Georgian Patriarchate, Metropolitan Emmanuel conveyed fraternal greetings from Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to the newly elected Primate of the Georgian Church. The Phanar hierarch congratulated Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III on his enthronement and expressed deep gratitude for the warm reception extended to him.

The main topic of the talks was a discussion of the prospects for developing bilateral relations between the Georgian and Constantinople Churches. A significant part of the meeting was also devoted to the upcoming visit of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III to Constantinople. The Phanar is expecting the visit of the Georgian First Hierarch in the near future.

The participants of the meeting also recalled the day of the funeral of the previous Primate, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, and Patriarch Bartholomew's visit to Georgia. Patriarch Shio III once again expressed his gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for the love and condolences shown, and also thanked him for the warm congratulations sent on the day of his own enthronement.

The Georgian delegation at the meeting included Metropolitan Theodore of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti, Metropolitan Savva of Khoni and Samtredia, Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, Metropolitan Andrew of Gori and Ateni, the head of the Patriarchate's public relations service Archpriest Andrei Jagmaidze, the Patriarch's secretary Archpriest Mikhail Botkoveli, and the deputy head of the department of external relations Archpriest Archil Khachidze.

As the Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported, Vučić discussed the spiritual ties between the peoples of Serbia and Georgia with Patriarch Shio.

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